The role of fluoride has varied over the years. Taken internally, it does significantly reduce the incidence of caries, and its introduction into toothpaste and teeth whitening products has made a difference to the number of tooth-decay cases dentists are seeing. However, if you are planning to take fluoride supplements, ensure you do so under the guidance of your dentist, as too much fluoride can leave white-and-brown flecks and even slight depressions on your teeth.

The issue of fluoridating water is a controversial one especially where the best teeth whitening products are concerned. Many countries around the world have introduced fluoridated water, but many people object to this practice on the grounds that they are being ‘medicated’ against their will. However, despite some debate as to what concentration of fluoride gives the best results, there’s no doubt that the fluoride content of water has a significant bearing on the non-prevalence of caries.

It’s not really in the scope of this article to get into the fluoride debate, but if you are contemplating taking fluoride supplements, you should definitely not do so if the water in your area is fluoridated. As an aside: there are other benefits to fluoridating drinking water: following the introduction of fluoridated water in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1995, it was found to reduce the level of osteoporosis among those who drank it!

Note: If the water in your area is fluoridated, and you don’t want to ingest fluoride this way, drink bottled mineral water, or invest in a water purifying system for your home; either have a device fitted to your kitchen tap or purchase a water filtering jug.